


The Question

by kimdianajones



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aziraphale loves Crowley, Crowley loves Aziraphale, Established Relationship, Fluff, Getting Together, Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), M/M, Marriage Proposal, Post-Armageddon, Post-Canon, Rated for Crowley’s language, Romance, homocelestials, moron4moron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 12:09:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19905493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimdianajones/pseuds/kimdianajones
Summary: “My - my point is, I… I want to ask you a question. A silly question, really. And I hope that since we’ve been friends for so long, that, well… you wouldn’t judge me for asking it.”





	The Question

“Crowley?” 

“Mm?”

“I’ve been thinking… ”

A gentle wave brushed against their ankles, and Aziraphale looked down to the sand. The pair walked arm-in-arm along the shore of a remote spot of land somewhere in the middle of the British Virgin Islands. It had been Crowley’s idea, a holiday. They’d been working so hard to save the world they both loved so dearly for the past eleven years, that the demon deemed they were deserving of a little getaway. “Besides,” he’d said a few days ago over a glass of red in Aziraphale’s bookshop, “we’re technically retired now. Why not kick things off in style?” 

And so they had ended up here, on a small spot in the sea, miraculously devoid of any and all people. A no small miracle, too, that this island wasn’t on any maps.

“We’ve been together for quite some time now… ” Aziraphale said. “And, well, I would say within the past few years, we’ve only grown closer.”

He looked up at the demon and saw the sunset reflected in his sunglasses. Oh, how he wished Crowley would take them off, so Aziraphale could get a better read on him… 

(And also, selfishly, so he could get a glimpse of those gorgeous golden eyes Aziraphale saw so rarely.)

“My - my point is, I… I want to ask you a question. A silly question, really. And I hope that since we’ve been friends for so long, that, well… you wouldn’t judge me for asking it.”

Crowley smirked one of those nonchalant half-hearted smirks that he wore so well; the kind that made Aziraphale’s heart do somersaults. “Depends on what the question is.”

“Oh, stop it, you old snake,” Aziraphale nudged him playfully. “I’m being serious.”

“Fine, fine,” Crowley conceded. “I promise not to judge you.” 

“Oh, splendid. Thank you, my dear,” Aziraphale patted Crowley’s arm. “So… ” he swallowed hard and felt his heart beginning to thud. Oh, he was such a twat for not preparing any words… _I should have brought notes_.

“The thing is - Crowley. You know that I love you,” he started.

“And I love you, too,” Crowley said. He pressed a kiss to Aziraphale’s forehead, and he felt the blood rush to his face so fast he could swear he heard it in his ears. 

“Yes - yes, I know, dear,” he stammered. “What I’m trying to say is, I-I’m very fond of you.” 

“We’ve established that,” Crowley said. “What was your question, again?”

“I’m getting to that,” Aziraphale snapped, albeit gently. “Please, just… let me work my way up to it.”

“Alright.”

Aziraphale felt his toe touch something, and he looked down. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “Well, will you look at that.” 

He bent over to reach for a fully whole scallop, both sides still attached, and he turned it over in his hands. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked, glancing between the shell and the demon, and Crowley hummed a sound of agreement. “Rare to find one this intact,” Aziraphale continued. “Think I’ll bring it home with me.”

The scallop, was in fact, no ordinary scallop. It was one that Aziraphale had miracled onto the beach just hours earlier, once he’d become resolute in his decision to ask his question tonight. It would appear at their feet at just the right moment, and even more than that, it held a very special sort of pearl inside.

Aziraphale hoped his feigned surprise was performed well enough to fool Crowley. But so far, the dear fellow still seemed none the wiser. _Good._

“Where was I…?” Aziraphale mused. “Oh, yes. Doting on _you_ ,” he poked Crowley.

The demon rolled his eyes with his whole head. “Get on with it, angel.”

“Yes! Yes, of course. Sorry. I wanted to ask you… a rather _human_ sort of question.” 

Crowley snorted. “We may as well be. What is it, then?”

“Come again?” 

“The question.”

“No, no, I meant the first part.” 

“ _Human_ , Aziraphale,” Crowley clarified, exasperated. “We may as _well_ be human. We’ve been on this floating rock long enough to almost qualify.” He kicked a little into his next step for emphasis.

“Oh… oh, yes. Quite,” the angel agreed with a small, taut smile. “We have, haven’t we.” 

Well. There was no more _beating around the bush_ , as the human expression went. He may as well start in honest, now. If he didn’t soon, he was fairly certain that Crowley would grow so fed up with him that he would miracle himself all the way back to London.

“Crowley,” Aziraphale started softly. “I have loved you more than anything I have ever come across in this entire world.”

Crowley didn’t stop walking, but his steps did slow. “Okay,” he said carefully.

“You have made my past six thousand years all the more full for having shared them with me.”

“Go on.”

“And… I-I would like to - that is, I would _hope_ that there wouldn’t be any doubt that we would share the next six thousand mo - ”

“For fuck’s sake, Aziraphale, out with it, already!”

“Don’t - _yell_ at me, Crowley!” Aziraphale pulled back from his arms and pouted. “Can’t you see that I’m _nervous?!”_

They stared at each other. For a moment, the only sound between them was the lazy crashing of waves. “What have you got to be nervous about?” Crowley asked with his arms out. “It’s just us.”

“I - I… ” Aziraphale’s fingers drummed on the scallop. “I don’t want to ruin this.” 

“Ruin what? The holiday?”

“Ruin our _relationship_ ,” Aziraphale said. “I… I’m worried that if this… _goes wrong_ … that things will never be the same between us.”

Crowley’s expression softened. “Angel… ” He stepped forward to hold Aziraphale’s face and kissed him on the forehead. “It’s just like you said. Been together for six thousand years. There’s nothing you could say to me right now that would drive me away. Promise.” He ran his long fingers through some of Aziraphale’s hair for good measure.

Aziraphale drew in a shaky breath at the touch, and looked down. He had to trust him. _You always have, silly_ , he scolded himself. Why was now any different?

His heart hammered so hard in his chest that the world started spinning. He stepped back, letting Crowley’s hands fall away from his face, and he opened his eyes. 

“Crowley,” he said as he blinked back tears. “I have to admit that I wouldn’t be who am I today if I’d never known you. You are my dearest friend. My family, even, if I may be so bold. And nothing on Earth would make me happier… than to be able to call you my own.” 

Aziraphale knelt.

Crowley’s face went slack as realization dawned upon him. 

“Anthony… ” Aziraphale said softly. It was only right, he supposed, to use his human name to ask this very human question. He opened the scallop. In the center of the white satin cushion laid a rather plain, but stylish, titanium black ring. 

“ …will you marry me?”

Crowley was silent, the shocked look on his face remaining frozen for several agonizingly long minutes. Aziraphale studied him, waiting with held breath, but the silence lasted so long that his hopeful eyes gradually crumpled into those of disappointment. His lower lip wobbled and he blinked hard as he cleared his throat. The scallop snapped shut. “Right, right, of course,” he said hurriedly. He rushed to his feet and brushed the sand off his one knee. “I told you it was a silly question,” his voice broke, and he scrubbed at his eyes. “And - a-and there really is no need for it anyway, so, let’s pretend that this never happened, and - ”

“Yes.”

Aziraphale blinked rapidly. “ …What?”

“Aziraphale,” Crowley murmured, a grin growing on his face as he stepped forward. “ _Yes_.” 

_I must be hallucinating_. Aziraphale shook his head, too afraid to let himself hope that he had heard correctly. Though couldn’t quite help the small smile that escaped him. “You - you will?”

“Yes!” Crowley shouted. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you, you idiot!”

The demon let out a laugh, and tears trickled out from his sunglasses. He barreled himself into Aziraphale for a kiss, tackling him so hard that they both fell onto the shore.

Perhaps it was the Almighty cheering them on in Her own way, or Crowley playing tricks on the both of them, but just as soon as they hit the sand, a wave crashed over them both and left them absolutely drenched.

Aziraphale let out a yelp, and Crowley laughed even harder. The angel started giggling in turn, and Crowley wrapped his arms around his neck, absolutely beaming as he touched his forehead to Aziraphale’s. The pair stayed like that, embracing by the waves for a few blissfully breathless moments, until Aziraphale shuffled his arm free from underneath Crowley. He snapped his fingers, and in an instant the tide receded and both of their clothes had dried. “Well then… ” he said, panting. “Should we see if I miracled up the right size?”

Crowley nodded, and untangled himself off of Aziraphale. The angel raised himself to sit upright with a grunt, and opened the scallop. He slipped the ring onto Crowley’s finger, and, to no one’s surprise, fit perfectly.

Crowley let out a shuddering breath as he looked at his hand. “It’s perfect, angel,” he said, and wiped at his face. “Thank you.”

Aziraphale smiled warmly. “Nothing but the best for you, my dear boy,” he said. He reached up to hold the side of Crowley’s face and dry away a tear, and in response, he raised his shades to his forehead. Aziraphale’s breath hitched; when dampened with tears, the colors of Crowley’s eyes swam and swirled like molten gold, the flecks of copper dancing at the rims of his irises. It was beautiful and breathtaking and oh, so heartbreakingly sad all at the same time. Aziraphale leaned in to hold both sides of Crowley’s face and, closing his eyes, kissed the tears away. Crowley’s breath shuddered, and he touched his forehead to Aziraphale’s again. “ _I love you_ ,” he whispered.

Aziraphale chuckled around a wet noise in his throat, feeling the corners of his own eyes prickling. “ _I love you, too.”_ He pulled back, but still kept his hands on the demon’s cheeks, indulging himself in taking in the entire sight of Crowley’s undisguised face. Aziraphale smiled as his eyes drank in every feature. “You’re perfect,” he breathed.

Crowley barked out a curt laugh. “Far from it, angel.”

“Well then. We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one. Shall we?”

He offered a hand, and Crowley took it, grunting as they helped each other back to their feet. He grabbed Aziraphale by the lower back and pulled him in till he was pressed against his middle. Aziraphale let out a squeak, but the surprise melted into a smile when Crowley brought him into a sudden, hungry kiss. Aziraphale closed his eyes, letting their breaths mingle into one, and put a hand on Crowley’s chest.

Somewhere a couple miles offshore, just a few secluded, miraculously unmapped islands over, a seagull squawked a shrill cry. It wasn’t exactly a nightingale, but they both supposed it would have to do.

**Author's Note:**

> UPDATE: ooohh my goodness?! thank you all so much for such a warm welcome to AO3, I was absolutely not expecting for this to get much of a response ;____; <3
> 
> I was inspired to write this while I was on vacation earlier this month. In my opinion, there’s few things more romantic than a marriage proposal on the beach <3
> 
> Also, if anyone is curious as to why Crowley didn’t respond right away, it’s because anthony.exe has stopped working
> 
> I’m very rarely proud of my writing, which is why I wanted to share this here. kudos and comments are greatly appreciated if you enjoyed <3 thank you!!


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